Unusual Names and Places

The motes of dust suspended in the sunbeams shining through the gothic windows of the little church witnessed two figures sitting quietly in the front pew, and for all appearances those figures were suspended in reflection.

In the light, those muted motes appear to intone their raison d’etre:

“In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return to the ground; for out of it were you taken: for dust you are, and to dust shall you return.”

Thirza had argued with her father believing this genesis was simply unscientific. She was an avid reader and growing up the family Bible was always close; her father had been an ordained minister.

Missionaries end up in such places spreading their seeds of faith, and so it was with her parents, Willem Carel Goch, and his new wife Louisa Ann Eagle. They had settled for a time at this Wesleyan mission in Leliefontein, named after the lily-ringed spring that gave life to the nomadic pastoralists, the Khoikhoi, and subsequent settlers seeking a refuge from British dominance in the Cape of Storms.

Willem was one such settler of German descent while Louisa bore the blood of her English mother, Hephziba Eagle.

That church was a practical place of worship. The simple whitewashed brick structure devoid of decoration was much to Thirza’s liking. The corrugated iron roof and rafters were visible from the pews below, and if one listened carefully an echo could be heard as if God were reiterating the spoken word. A small crucifix hung on the wall behind the pulpit and a font filled the one corner. The lectern-like pulpit stood unpretentiously in front of them.

Thirza imagined her father on his mission, standing up front delivering Godliness and Moral Law to the indigenous congregation and her mother’s attempts to teach them cleanliness and domestic craft and how reserved they were about their success. It was shortly after the family’s return to the Cape that her father retired from the game.

Thirza’s gaze fell on the font where perhaps her father had christened her. A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead reminding her of that day thirty-three years ago. Her hand sought her husband’s giving it a gentle squeeze to convey her pleasure that he had arranged this visit. Jerry smiled, captivated by the intense green-blue eyes.

The church doors banged open; the motes danced, welcoming the resident Reverend who joined them in the front pew.

“You must be Mr. and Mrs. Nash,” he said knowing well who they were from Jerry’s letter that had arrived a fortnight before. It talked of how much they would like to visit Thirza’s birthplace on their journey to South West Africa and Walvis Bay where they were to begin what became a five-year nomadic sojourn.

Smiling, he introduced himself, “I’m the Reverend Thomas Argyle.”

“Please call me Jerry, and this is Thirza,” responded William referring to his middle name, Benjamin. Thirza had taken to calling him “Jerry”, perhaps because it was associated with a deep desire for travel and adventure, and to not be governed by tradition.

Thomas turned, looked into those intense eyes and said to Thirza, “Your names are so unusual, I couldn’t help wondering if perhaps your father looked to the scriptures to name you. In the Old Testament the book of Numbers, Chapter 27, he would have found Zelophehad’s daughter Tirzah, meaning delightful and pleasant. Maybe he also looked to Revelations 12:14: “…the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time…of course I prefer the Scottish Gaelic translation of Thursa, meaning ‘The shining one’.

Looking directly at Thomas Thirza responded, “I like to think my names come from the banned books of the Bible. Of course you know that when Zelophehad died, Tirzah and his other four daughters, appealed to Moses for the right to inherit his property; a rite previously denied to women. It was God who approved the appeal.

“Jerry added his thought saying, “This arid place likely reminded Thirza’s parent’s of the desert and the inheritance of promised land and chose Thirza as her name.”

Thirza elaborated saying, “Jerry and Thomas, I read and understood that story as a child and began to question why women were denied rights; being subservient to men, unable to vote and participate fully in society. I observed these things watching my mother and other women as they went about their lives. Is it a woman’s burden to bear so many children? I wanted to be different, wasn’t it a God given right?”

Jerry looked at them both saying, “I know now why you became a suffragette Thirza, and advocate so hard for women getting the vote.”

Thomas saw something special in Thirza, something unusual and he knew his instinct was right.

“In reality my name is not so romantic,Thomas. The ‘Eagle’ comes from my mother’s second marriage after her first husband died at sea. ‘Thirza’ was a popular name at the time and so different from my other siblings.”

“Different in what way?” questioned Thomas shifting slightly on the hard wood of the pew.

“Oh! Louis, Victoria, Elizabeth and George who was killed in the first world war. They are named after the Kings and Queens. My sisters, Doris and Minnie, are nymphs and ladies of the sea according to Greek and Hebrew mythology: Doris is a gift while Minnie is a wished-for-child. Elizabeth’s middle name is Hephzibah meaning is my-delight-is-in-her.”

Thomas had deliberately omitted to mention that it was a serpent nourishing the woman with eagle wings and now knew, that Thirza knew, and continued saying “I gather from Jerry’s letter you will be in the wilderness of South West Africa in a few days time.”

“Talking of names, Mr. Nash, you as a “William”, are the resolute-protector and I expect you will live up to that taking me to the wilderness, and with Thomas’s talk of serpents I prefer that it is you who nourishes me. Beware Lilith, that female demon, Adam’s first wife who left him because she refused to be subservient.” Thirza’s tone was light-hearted as she spoke and Jerry laughed.

“Oh! No doubt I have my work cut out for me…” he said replying to her jest.

A little growl from Jerry’s stomach reminded Thomas that they had come from the train station in Kamieskroon, twenty miles away, and he said, “You must be thirsty and hungry after your travels. My wife has prepared lunch for us. Come, she is eager to meet you.”

Thirza’s and Jerry’s dog, a rat terrier named Maginty, or Ginty as they fondly called her, lay sleeping on the old wooden floor in front of them. She jumped up eagerly as if she too had heard a growl.

Mildred, the reverend’s wife, was short and stout with boundless energy that was displayed in everything she did. They sat in the shade of an umbrella-shaped camel-thorn tree where Mildred had arranged a table with sandwiches and rusks, a hard biscuit which she had baked the night before.

She apologized saying, “I only have Rooibos tea so I hope it is to your liking,” and without waiting for an answer poured cups for them.

Mildred suggested, ” You must see the lily-pond before you go. Oh! And before I forget we have arranged for you to sleep in the manse tonight. It’s all taken care of and your luggage is there as well.”

“We like that idea'” said Jerry thanking her, “do you have any other suggestions before we continue to Walvis Bay in the morning?”

“Yes. You must take the time tomorrow to see the flowers on your way to catch the train. Take the old road through the Kamiesberg mountains, they are hill’s really,”, and Mildred continued explaining to Jerry, “The Khoikhoi who originally inhabited these mountains called them Th’amies meaning, ‘Jumble’. You will see what I mean when you get there.”

Thomas and Matilda had to leave to attend a meeting in the mining town, O’Kiep the next day. “There’s a lot of drinking going on there,” he said shaking his head.

They exchanged farewells. Thirza promised to write to the Argyles and Thomas gave Thirza an artifact in his possession that was found in the rubble of the old mission church. He could not determine how it got there, perhaps someone lost it he thought. It was only when he received Jerry’s letter saying he and Thirza wanted to visit her birthplace that he retrieved the artifact thinking that maybe he had found the owner.

“I believe this belongs to you, Thirza,” he said solemnly.

“It looks like an old pendant,” said Jerry.

Thirza and Jerry looked at the eagle, it’s wings and talons stretched to seize it’s prey.

“Look at the inscription on the back,” Thomas added.

“It’s so faded,” said Thirza trying to read the words. She read slowly, “…gle…fly…wildern.,,” and stopped abruptly. “What did this mean?” she thought, and moments later realized the significance of the next words, and how Thomas knew of her parent’s naming her.

She whispered,,,, “T..z.h…1885…”